Patent Case Law and Intellectual Property Practice Blog

Japanese version Article information Article type: Case note Category: Patents Issues: Inventive step, Motivation and teaching away, Support requirement First published on this website: 2026-10-03 Court: Intellectual Property High Court Case number: Reiwa 6 (Gyo-Ke) 10043 Display and classification checked: 2026-10-03 IP High Court, Reiwa 6 (Gyo-Ke) 10043 [Elastoplastic hysteretic damper] <Presiding Judge Honda> 1. <Ko 1 + Ko 2, etc.> The plaintiff argued that it was easy to

Japanese version Article information Article type: Case note Category: Patents Issues: Inventive step, Numerical limitations and parameters, Design choices First published on this website: 2026-10-03 Court: Intellectual Property High Court Case number: Reiwa 7 (Gyo-Ke) 10037 Display/classification checked: 2026-10-10 IP High Court, Reiwa 7 (Gyo-Ke) 10037 [Wood composite] <Presiding Judge Hibiku Shimizu> Lacks inventive step. The plaintiff argued that density, flake dimensions

Japanese version Article information Article type: Case note Category: Patents Issues: Joint torts First published on this website: 2026-10-03 Court: Intellectual Property High Court Case number: Reiwa 6 (Ne) 10056 Display and classification checked: 2026-10-03 IP High Court, Reiwa 6 (Ne) 10056 [Van for cleaning operations] <Presiding Judge Nakahira> * An offer for sale concerned a product different from the infringer's product. ⇒ Joint tort liability denied. (Excerpt from th

Japanese version Article information Article type: Case note Category: Patents Issues: Inventive step, Design choices First published on this website: 2026-10-03 Court: Intellectual Property High Court Case number: Reiwa 6 (Ne) 10001 Display and classification checked: 2026-10-03 IP High Court, Reiwa 6 (Ne) 10001 [Yarn color placement system] <Presiding Judge Hibiku Shimizu> Lacks inventive step ⇒ Claim dismissed. “High-low control” is conventional technology for making patte

Japanese version Article information Article type: Case note Category: Patents Issues: Claim interpretation First published on this website: 2026-10-03 Court: Tokyo District Court Case number: Reiwa 5 (Wa) 70079 Display and classification checked: 2026-10-03 Tokyo District Court, Reiwa 5 (Wa) 70079 [Vehicle guidance system] <Presiding Judge Kokubun> * Patent infringement found. ⇒ Reversed on appeal: claim elements not satisfied. Regarding element A (a system guiding vehicles

Japanese version Article information Article type: Publication review Category: Patents Issues: Patent corrections First published on this website: 2026-10-03 Display and classification checked: 2026-10-03 Can correcting “A and/or B” to “B” ever amount to an enlargement or alteration of claim scope? For example: A container capable of carrying 10 cubic centimeters of liquid and/or solid? The reverse pattern is an enlargement or alteration caused by adding wording. For example

Japanese version Article information Article type: Case note Category: Patents Issues: Claim interpretation, Support requirement First published on this website: 2026-10-03 Court: Tokyo District Court Case number: Reiwa 5 (Wa) 70380 Display and classification checked: 2026-10-03 Tokyo District Court, Reiwa 5 (Wa) 70380 [Rod-shaped light] <Presiding Judge Takahashi> Claim elements not satisfied; support requirement violated. The defendant's products 1 and 2 store a color throu

Japanese version Article information Article type: Case note Category: Patents Issues: Inventive step, Numerical limitations and parameters, Motivation and teaching away First published on this website: 2026-10-03 Court: Intellectual Property High Court Case number: Reiwa 6 (Gyo-Ke) 10053 Display and classification checked: 2026-10-03 IP High Court, Reiwa 6 (Gyo-Ke) 10053 [Wood board] <Presiding Judge Hibiku Shimizu> Lacks inventive step. The specification contained no indica

Japanese version Article information Article type: Case note Category: Patents Issues: Inventive step First published on this website: 2026-10-03 Court: Intellectual Property High Court Case number: Reiwa 6 (Ne) 10032 Display and classification checked: 2026-10-03 IP High Court, Reiwa 6 (Ne) 10032 [Mobile information communication device] <Presiding Judge Shimizu> Lacks inventive step. ⇒ First-instance dismissal upheld. At filing, it was common general technical knowledge tha

Japanese version Article information Article type: Case note Classification: Patents Issues: Employee inventions First published on this site: 2026-10-03 Court: Osaka District Court Case number: Reiwa 5 (Wa) 10217 Display/classification checked: 2026-10-03 Osaka District Court, Reiwa 5 (Wa) 10217 [Three-dimensional reticular fiber aggregate] <Presiding Judge Matsuami> Claim for employee-invention remuneration. ⇒ Dismissed. (Excerpts from the judgment, translated) In establish